The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1887-04-28
NOT TIME FOR BREAKING THE SOLID
SOUTH.

Henry Watterson says: Il believe IL
would be a great thing for the whole
country, and the democratic party IN par
ticu'ar, to break up the sold south and
cease 10 elect presidents and congresses
on sectional lines" THE STATESMAN says
amen to such sentiments. But has the
time come yet TO accomplish thisF Is the
democratic party strong enough now IN
the north and east to lose any southern
statesY But, leaving this out OF the ques-
tion. are ths democrats the native-oorn
white people of the south-secure enough
in their rights and liberties to allo" any
of the southern states to get from OUT
their control since the state OF ahalrS
srists as Mr.. Watterson describes it, as
follows: Just so long as the republicans
keep alive the memories OF the war, keep
aloft the banner of sectionalism, geek to
aid and maintain negro dominance under
the sentimental guise of equal rights,
and all that, just so long will the white
people of the south maintain solid front.
They must do it. 1t is their protection"
Watterson decries this practice of the
republicans. and says with It's stoppage
will be noted cessasion of elections on
sectional line.
But Mr.. Watterson contends that this
NOV -ment will be helped out because OF
growing protection party in the south,
which must be opposed to democracy.
Mr.. Watterson is democrat and surely
he would not want to see this growth in
the south ruin his party even If he could
by this means effect an overthrow of all
sectionalism. No! the time in the south
is not ripe for breakage of the solid vote
it has steadily cast for democracy. Free
trade ideas are daily taking stronger hold
in the manufacturing states of the east.
The fallacies of protective tariff are being
brought out to the searching light of open
day-and the progressive men OF the east
are no longer bowling down to the idol
that for so long a time has blinded them
with the dazzling promises of securing
their best interests, by making of them
favored class at the expense of the rest OF
our general public. When the sentiment
has grown in the north TO the extent of
welding deciding influence in elections,
then it may be time enough to hazard
the step of lifting our nation above poll
tics that NAV be construed as sectional,
even if by so doing the democratic
party loses state or two IN the south.
But even this we think will not happen.
True, it is that in parts of the south a
protection sentiment has been trans
planted by northern capitalists coming
in to speculate in the southern states. These
men starting manufactures naturally
want that same protection that has built
up the pampered manufacturers Of the
east. These men would invent an appar-
ent public sentiment they would es-
tablish a medium for disseminating such
fancied growing wish. But the true
bone and sinew of the south are not to be
thus deceived they know the system has
been tried in the north and found want
ing-they know the intention of these
men is essentially selfish and cannot re-
dund to the common good. Yet, they
with all the people of the whole country
would'gladly see the sectional spirit that
is symbolizod by the solid south become
a thing of the past. This must and will
come, but not now, and not at the perma-
nent injury of the democratic party.